Islamabad: (TNM) The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of the National Assembly, under the convenorship of Syeda Shahida Rehmani, MNA, and with the support of its development partner UN Women, launched its Annual Report 2024–25 at the Parliament House, Islamabad. The launch ceremony was moderated by Special Secretary National Assembly, Syed Shamoon Hashmi.

The ceremony was attended by Members of the National Assembly, Honourable Senators, representatives of development partners, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders, reaffirming a collective commitment to the promotion of women’s rights, gender-responsive budgeting, and the strengthening of Provincial and Legislative Chapters of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.

The Annual Report 2024–25 highlights the major achievements, initiatives, and challenges addressed by the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus during the year. In her keynote address, Ms. Syeda Shahida Rehmani, MNA, acknowledged the contributions of WPC members in advancing gender-responsive legislation, strengthening parliamentary oversight on gender issues, and expanding the outreach of the Caucus across party lines. She reaffirmed the WPC’s commitment to ensuring that gender-sensitive legislation remains a central component of the parliamentary agenda. Among the notable achievements highlighted was the convening of Pakistan’s first Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Workshop on Gender-Sensitive Legislation after a gap of four years, with participation from international parliamentarians.

The report presentation highlighted several landmark initiatives, including the establishment and strengthening of Provincial and Legislative Chapters of the WPC in all four provincial and legislative assemblies, achieved for the first time in Pakistan’s history. Other key initiatives included the National Women’s Convention 2025 under the theme “A Unified Vision for Empowerment”, roundtable conferences on gender-responsive budgeting, and the conference titled “Poverty Has a Woman’s Face: Gender-Sensitive Legislation to Advance Gender Equality and End Poverty” held during the 18th Speakers’ Conference. The WPC also advanced gender justice through the observance of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and high-level consultations on political inclusion titled “Raising Her Voice in Political Parties.”

During the open-floor session, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz Malik, MNA, emphasized enhanced legislative scrutiny of harassment laws and called for swift justice for victims of sexual violence. Senator Ms. Rubina Qaimkhani proposed the formation of parliamentary committees to comprehensively review harassment legislation and address existing gaps. Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, MNA, underscored the importance of a non-partisan approach to gender equality and highlighted the role of parents in fostering respect and equality from an early age. Ms. Munaza Hassan stressed improved coordination among national, provincial, and legislative assemblies to ensure cohesion among all WPC chapters.

Ms. Samar Haroon Bilour, MNA, highlighted the impact of terrorism and security challenges on women, particularly those who have lost male family members, and emphasized the inclusion of women lawmakers in economic and security-related decision-making. She also called for increasing women’s job quotas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other provinces. Senator Ms. Rubina Khalid advocated internship opportunities for deserving law and social science students within parliamentary and legislative bodies and emphasized adopting international best practices to curb cybercrime, along with increased Senate representation in the WPC Working Council. Ms. Farrukh Khan, MNA, highlighted the importance of gender balance and mutual support between men and women for sustainable empowerment. Senator Ms. Khalida Ateeb stressed strict implementation of laws related to the protection, welfare, and rehabilitation of women.

Ms. Asma Arbab Alamgir, MNA, emphasized the need to allocate adequate funds to women parliamentarians and called for the establishment of dedicated government bodies to protect vulnerable women and children, particularly in light of rising human trafficking. Ms. Naeema Kishwer Khan, MNA, called for stronger legislation to ensure women’s protection and welfare and noted that international gender parity reports often overlook provincial data, affecting Pakistan’s rankings. Ms. Shumaila Rana, MNA, stressed legislation for the protection and rehabilitation of juvenile and women prisoners and called for structured engagement with the WPC to support their reintegration. Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, MNA, highlighted the need to address legislative gaps and ensure adequate representation of women at all legislative levels. Ms. Huma Chughtai, MNA, advocated an integrated regional approach to women’s issues, including the establishment of a South Asian regional secretariat and collective action to ensure women’s access to due process of law.